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Dear Bungie.net Members,
This thread's main purpose was to discuss the topic question, "Is the Xbox Live Downtime on March 27, 2007 related to the Halo 3 Beta?" I did not create this thread for users to come to the conclusion of the Halo 3 Beta would release right after the maintenance. I am glad that this thread has excited a lot of people, but I do not appreciate anybody who has posted off-topic comments or spam. It is not only disrespectful to Bungie.net, but it shows a lack of consideration for others who still would like to discuss this issue, using well-thought out opinions and supporting/opposing evidence. Do not be upset that the Halo 3 Beta is currently not available to download, because there are still many rumors going around. Now that the maintenance is complete, this thread is open to discuss the Xbox Live Downtime and Halo 3 Beta in general. All forum rules apply and some additional notes are posted below as a reminder.
Thank you,
Lucky Sniper 08
READ NOTIFICATION BEFORE POSTING
NOTES
> XBOX LIVE AND XBOX.COM ARE BACK ONLINE.
> THE HALO 3 BETA IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.
DO NOT POST...
> SPAM, OFF-TOPIC, AND/OR FALSE INFORMATION.
> INAPPROPRIATE AND/OR UNNECESSARY COMMENTS.
> ANYTHING DIRECTED TOWARD AN INDIVIDUAL USER.
> YOUR OPINION AND CLAIM THAT IS HOW IT IS, WITHOUT PROOF.THREAD FAQ UPDATE (Last Revised: 03.28.07)
Q. What was the Xbox Live Downtime I have been hearing of?
A. The Xbox Live Downtime was on March 27, 2007 and lasted approximately (18+) hours. This downtime was a scheduled maintenance to help improve Microsoft's game servers and also took care of other technical problems. During this time, the servers were shutdown to the public and the update has hopefully allowed better connection throughout the Xbox Live Marketplace, along with multi-player games online. The reason for the delay was because the internal game testers needed to make sure Xbox Live was functioning properly. Obviously, there may have been an extreme amount of lag or bad connection when trying to access Xbox Live, but it should be fine by now.Q. Ever since the update, I have been having serious problems over Xbox Live. What is the problem?
A. There are many different problems that you could be having, whether it is connecting to Xbox Live, Downloading from the Marketplace, or simply lagging in multi-player games. I cannot answer your question and this thread is not for discussing those types of problems. However, if you are having trouble relating to your Xbox or Xbox 360 console, I suggesting visiting www.xbox.com or by contacting the Xbox Live Technical Support Team.Q. Did the Xbox Live Maintenance have anything to do with the expansion pack "Shivering Isles"?
A. No. The creators of Oblivion worked very hard and were actually able to release their expansion pack over the Xbox Live Marketplace before the maintenance on March 26, 2007. Therefore, gamers could download this expansion and play during the downtime to achieve a higher gamerscore. The maintenance was a regular check-up and its purpose was not for The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™ or their expansion pack, Shivering Isles.Q. There has been a lot of speculation regarding the downtime possibly being related to the Halo 3 Beta. What official information can you tell us regarding that topic?
A. Well, the Halo 3 Beta is currently not available to download over the marketplace for the players who have been accepted through the three phases. The three ways to access the Halo 3 Beta can be viewed at www.halo3.com and you can read the Halo 3 Beta FAQ for more information. A lot of people are claiming that the Xbox Live maintenance had nothing to do with the Halo 3 Beta, but they have no proof or valid information that makes that statement false. Updating the servers could have been in preparation for the thousands of Halo 3 Beta downloads happening simultaneously, along with other Xbox Live content on the marketplace. Until we receive any further information from Bungie Studios or Microsoft we cannot assume anything from third-party websites.Q. Will all of the gamers who have been accepted into the Halo 3 Beta be notified of the when it is available to download?
A. Maybe. I cannot guarantee anything because I am just another member of the community, but the gamers from Phase 1 and Phase 2 are supposed to get more information regarding the Halo 3 Beta via the email in which they registered. Since Phase 3, purchasing Crackdown, is open to all gamers, they must check to see if it is available to download by selecting Downloads on the Crackdown title screen. I am not sure, but I think that either Bungie.net or Xbox.com will notify the community when it has been released. I would continue to check the Weekly Updates every Friday and browse through the Bungie.net forums occasionally.Q. I was going through some gaming websites and came across a Halo 3 twelve month Xbox Live Gold Card, as you can see here on ebgames.com. Can you tell me some more info about it?
A. Sure. The 12 Month Xbox Live Gold Card in general is exactly what it is. This card gives you access as a gold member of Xbox Live for 12 months. You can not only chat with gamers, but also download content from the marketplace, and play multi-player games online with your friends. EB Games is not the only gaming store that offers this product as you can see here. You may have noticed the +1 at the top right of the product, which means you get 12 months and 1 additional month free, totaling 13 months for the set price. Usually it would cost the exact same as if you were to buy it from the Xbox 360 Marketplace for $49.99 for one year. The Halo 3 design is just another type of that product that draws more attention to hardcore gamers and encourages them to purchase it without looking at their other choices.Q.There are many rumors going on around the forums and I don't know what to believe. What can you tell me about these rumors and other third-party sites?
A. The worst part about third-party websites is that they are risky and can trick you into giving them your personal information. You have to be careful for sites that contain a lot of advertising banners and links. I do not suggest that you get all of your information from them because it is most likely false or unofficial. Relying on third-party websites is how rumors start, then spread, and can cause many problems. Right now, there has been an article, which you can read here, that says there were two big announcements from Microsoft coming. The first announcement was on March 27, 2007, which was the Xbox 360 Elite. There is also a news story and video, which can be viewed here. The second announcement was made on March 28, 2007 in the afternoon. Microsoft released their new mobile phone web browser, Deepfish, which allows mobile users to access the internet quicker and easier. There is also a news story and video, which can be viewed here.Q. My question has not been answered in the FAQ. What should I do?
A. I eliminated some of my FAQ questions that I thought were unnecessary. However, if a Bungie.net member or moderator has any questions that are not answered in the FAQ, send me a PM and I will answer it to the best of my ability as soon as possible. If I see other important questions come up, I'll make sure to add them to this thread's FAQ.
[Edited on 03.28.2007 10:46 PM PDT]